Ceiling fan and blade

ABSTRACT

A blade for a ceiling fan can include a first half and a second half formed from a pulp material. The first half is attachable to the second half to form the blade. Additionally, a blade can include a skeleton with an over molding made from a pulp forming the blade. Furthermore, a blade can be formed using a blade base with a pulp topper added to the blade to form an aerodynamic shape for the blade.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Pat. Application No.17/540,620, filed Dec. 2, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat.Application No. 16/728,302, filed Dec. 27, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No.11,215,198, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ceiling fans traditionally include a set of blades rotatably coupled toa motor assembly to rotate the set of blades. Rotation of the set ofblades drives a volume of fluid, typically ambient air within a room,space, or area.

Ceiling fan blades include a traditional aesthetic, commonly having aflat bottom on the blade which provides consumers with a traditionalceiling fan style. However, the flat blades are somewhat aerodynamicallyinefficient in comparison to other aerodynamic blade shapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a ceiling fan assemblycomprising: a motor; a mount for coupling to a structure and forsuspending the motor; a ceiling fan blade comprising a blade body forcoupling to the motor, wherein the ceiling fan blade is formed from amolded pulp and includes a skeleton, and the molded pulp is formed aboutat least a portion of the skeleton.

In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a ceiling fan assemblycomprising: a motor; a mount for coupling to a structure and forsuspending the motor; a ceiling fan blade comprising a blade body forcoupling to the motor, wherein the ceiling fan blade is formed from amolded pulp, and includes a foam core, and the molded pulp is formedabout at least a portion of the foam core.

In yet another aspect, the disclosure relates to a ceiling fan assemblycomprising: a motor having a rotor with a blade mount; a mount forcoupling to a structure and for suspending the motor; and a ceiling fanblade comprising a molded pulp blade body made of a molded pulp slurry.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view of a ceiling fan having a set ofblades suspended from a structure.

FIG. 2 is a view of a blade of the set of blades of FIG. 1 , includingan upper half separated from a lower half.

FIG. 3 is a view of alternate arrangement for the blade of FIG. 2 , withthe upper and lower halves connected by a hinge.

FIG. 4 is a view of another alternate arrangement for a blade of the setof blades of FIG. 1 including a skeleton.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the skeleton of FIG. 4 taken along sectionV-V of FIG. 4 , illustrating ribbing for the skeleton.

FIG. 6 is a top view of a over molding provided on the skeleton of FIG.4 .

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the skeleton and over molding of FIG. 6 .

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of yet another alternative arrangement of ablade of the set of blades of FIG. 1 including a topper coupled to a topsurface of a blade base.

FIG. 9 is an assembled view of the blade of FIG. 8 .

FIG. 10 is a section view of the blade of FIG. 9 , showing a grommetdesign for the topper extending into the blade base.

FIG. 11 is a view of another alternative blade for the set of blades ofFIG. 1 , including a wire frame.

FIG. 12 is a view of yet another alternative blade for the set of bladesof FIG. 1 , having a blade mount, a foam core, and an overlay.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating a method of forming a blade for aceiling fan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The disclosure herein relates to a pulp ceiling fan blade and a moldedpulp ceiling fan blade. A pulp ceiling fan blade can be a ceiling fanblade that is at least partially made from a pulp. A molded pulp ceilingfan blade can be any ceiling fan blade that is made from a pulp, wherethe pulp is formed and then molded into a desired ceiling fan bladeshape, or component thereof. Thus, a molded pulp product must be formedby shaping or molding the pulp, as opposed to cutting a product from avolume of material formed from pulp. More specifically, a molded pulpceiling fan blade can be made from a slurry or unit of pulp, which isthen compressed, stamped, molded, or otherwise formed into the desiredceiling fan blade shape, or portion thereof. As such, it should beappreciated that a molded pulp product or a molded pulp ceiling fanblade is different than a product formed from combined fibers withbinders to form a sheet or board, which is then cut to the desireddimension, shape, or size.

The disclosure provided herein relates to blades, and more specifically,to blades for a ceiling fan or other air moving device for generating anairflow, often for local cooling, heating, or air conditioning. Theblades provided herein relate to a blade formed at least partially witha volume of pulp, such that at least a portion of the blade is made frompulp, providing for decreased costs, weight, and environmental impact,among other benefits. It should be understood that it is contemplatedthat other ceiling fan elements, components, or parts can be made from apulp, including but not limited to, blades, blade irons, motor housings,switch housings, light kit fixtures or housings, motor adapters,downrods, canopies, or mounts. While the description herein is directedtoward a ceiling fan blade specifically, it should be appreciated thatthe pulp ceiling fan element can be applied to any suitable ceiling fancomponent.

‘Pulp’ as generally described herein can be defined as the materialutilized in forming, making, or otherwise creating molded pulp products(MPPs). MPPs can include, but are not limited to, thermoformed moldedpulp products, molded pulp products, impulse-dried pulp products, whileother types of forming or molding, such as compression of the pulp arecontemplated. Pulp can also include fiber which is formed to create thefinal product, often through wetting or dampening, forming, and thenshaping and drying. Such pulp or molded pulp products can, but need notinclude, wood fibers or other cellulose, other plant-based fibers, orpaper, in non-limiting examples. Additionally, it is contemplated thatcomponents such as chemical components can be added to the pulp or pulpmixture to impart performance characteristics, such as improvedefficiency. Such examples of MPPs can be found in U.S. Pat. No.9,856,608, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Most common known types of MPPs are drinker carriers, egg cartons, orother serving trays or food containers, while an increase in industrialpackaging or disposable items formed by molded pulp is being seen.Particularly those involving the use of recycled paper products.Additionally, alternative materials to pulp or a molded pulp product caninclude a foam, such as polystyrene in one non-limiting example, whichcan be utilized in place of pulp to form the products and fan blades asdescribed herein, as well as other pulp alternatives including foams,plastics, or other suitable materials.

As used herein, the term “set” or a “set” of elements can be any numberof elements, including only one.

All directional references (e.g., radial, axial, proximal, distal,upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, front, back, top,bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counterclockwise,upstream, downstream, forward, aft, etc.) are only used foridentification purposes to aid the reader’s understanding of the presentdisclosure, and do not create limitations, particularly as to theposition, orientation, or use of aspects of the disclosure describedherein. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, andjoined) are to be construed broadly and can include intermediate membersbetween a collection of elements and relative movement between elementsunless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do notnecessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixedrelation to one another. The exemplary drawings are for purposes ofillustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relativesizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto can vary.

Referring to FIG. 1 , an exemplary ceiling fan 10 is mounted to aceiling 12 of a structure 14, such as in a residential home.Alternatively, the ceiling fan 10 can be mounted or suspended in amyriad of environments, such as on a ceiling or wall, in a residentialspace or home, outdoor or indoor, in an industrial setting, such as amanufacturing plant, or in an agricultural setting, in non-limitingexamples.

The ceiling fan 10 includes a mount 16 suspending the ceiling fan 10from and coupling the ceiling fan 10 to the ceiling 12. A canopy 18covers the mount 16. A downrod 20 is suspended from the mount 16 by aball 22. A motor adapter 24 secures the downrod 20 to a motor 26 via amotor shaft 28 extending from the motor 26. The motor 26 can include astator 30 mounted to the motor shaft 28, as well as a rotor 32 rotatablydriven about the stator 30. The motor adapter 24 can further couple to amotor housing 34 at least partially encasing the motor 26. A set ofblade irons 36 couples a complementary set of blades 38 to the rotor 32for rotating the blades 38 and driving a volume of fluid, such as air,about the structure 14 or a local room therein. A switch housing 48 canmount below the motor housing 34 and electrically couple to the motor26. A light kit 46 can electrically and mechanically couple to theswitch housing 48.

It should be understood that the ceiling fan 10 as depicted in FIG. 1 isby way of example only, and it should be understood that more or lesscomponents than those shown and described can be included with theceiling fan 10, and such variation among ceiling fan assemblies iswithin the scope of this description.

The ceiling fan 10 can be coupled to a power supply 40, such as abuilding electrical supply. The power supply 40 may be connected to oneor more controllers 42 or switches 44. The controllers 42 can be used toreceive or send information related to the control and operation of theceiling fan 10, such as over a wired or wireless signal. The switches44, can be operated to control the ceiling fan 10, such as awall-mounted switch, for example. While the controller 42 and the switch44 are schematically shown exterior of the ceiling 12, it should beappreciated that the controller 42 and the switch 44 may be optional, ormay be provided in other positions, such as on the wall or ceiling, orwithin portions of the ceiling fan 10 itself.

While the ceiling fan as shown in FIG. 1 and as described herein is a‘standard mount’ including the mount 16 suspending the downrod 20, andsuspending the motor 26 therefrom, it should be understood that anysuitable ceiling fan assembly is contemplated. For example, any suitablemount can be used, such as a traditional mount, a ‘hugger’ mount whichhugs up against the ceiling, also referred to as a low-profile ceilingfan. Additionally, it is contemplated that a ceiling fan can be usedwith or without a downrod suspending the motor assembly. It should beunderstood that the disclosure need not be limited by the particularcomponents of a particular ceiling fan assembly. Similarly, while FIG. 1shows the use of blade irons 36 that extend external of the motorhousing from the rotor to the blade, it should be appreciated that otherblade mounting methods or styles are also contemplated. For example,blades that directly mount to the rotor are contemplated, along withvarious different types of blade irons or different material, includingbut not limited to aluminum, zinc, copper, cast iron, or plastic innon-limiting examples. Furthermore, the blade iron need not be atraditional blade iron that mounts to the rotor and extends exterior ofthe motor housing, but can be any suitable element or system thereofthat effectively fastens the blade to the motor to rotatably drive theblades.

Turning to FIG. 2 , a blade 50, which can be the blade 38 of FIG. 1 ,can include a body 52 separable into a first, upper half 54, and asecond, lower half 56. It should be understood that the upper half isshown upside-down, such that the interior of the first half 54 of theblade 50 is visible, and that the upper half 54 and the lower half 56effectively form two disconnected halves of a clamshell which can coupletogether essentially by pivoting the first half 54 as shown to meet thesecond half 56.

The blade 50 is illustrated with the halves 54, 56 separated showing theinterior surfaces of both halves 54, 56. Both halves 54, 56 of the blade50 include a root 58 and a tip 60, defining a span-wise directiontherebetween, and include a first edge 62 and a second edge 64, defininga chord-wise direction therebetween. In one example, the first edge 62can be a leading edge and the second edge 64 can be a trailing edge,while the rotational direction of the ceiling fan to which the blade 50attaches may define the leading and trailing edges. Additionally, theblade 50 and the halves 54, 56 thereof can include tapered edges 66 atthe junction between the root 58 and the edges 62, 64, and the tip 60and the edges 62, 64. However, it should be appreciated that anyplan-view shape (top-down shape) of the blade 50 is contemplated, andthat the shape as shown with the tapered edges 66 is by way of exampleonly.

The first half 54 includes a set of rib receptacles 70 and a set ofstops 72. The rib receptacles 70 are formed as a pair of spacedextensions, which can be arranged in a particular pattern along aninterior surface 76 of the first half 54. The rib receptacles 70 nearthe root 58 can have a shorter length, as compared to that of the ribreceptacles further form the root 58. Additionally, the rib receptacles70 near the root 58 can be curved or arcuate, and can angle away fromthe mount holes 82. Some rib receptacles 70 at the mount hole 82 extendradially from the mount hole 82, as is appreciable. Moving further fromthe root 58, some of the rib receptacles 70 can be arranged parallel tothe leading or trailing edges 62, 64, while other are arrangedperpendicular to the leading or trailing edges 62, 64. Additionally, itshould be noted that the particular arrangement, such as curved,parallel, or perpendicular can vary or be slightly offset, while anysuitable arrangement is contemplated. Similarly, the set of stops 72 canbe arranged along the interior surface 76 in a predetermined pattern.The set of stops 72 can be formed as cylindrical extensions extendingfrom the interior surface 76, while alternate shapes are contemplated.

The second half 56 includes a set of structural ribs 78 and stopreceptacles 80. The structural ribs 78 can form an interconnectedlattice-like web of structures, while it is contemplated that eachstructural rib 78 is discrete, and separated from the other ribs 78. Theribs 78 near the root 58 can be curved or arcuate, being complementaryto the rib receptacles 70 for the first half 54. The ribs 78 nearer tothe root 58 can have a greater curvature, as compared to the ribs 78further from the root 78, while some of the ribs 78 can be arrangedparallel or perpendicular to the edges 62, 64, similar to the ribreceptacles. Additionally, some of the ribs 78 can extend radially fromone or more of the mount receptacles 84.

The structural ribs 78 can be sized complementary to the spacing betweeneach pair of rib receptacles 70, and can be arranged complementary tothe pattern of the set of rib receptacles 70. In this way, attachment ofthe first half 54 to the second half 56 provides for both aligning thefirst half 54 with the second half 56, but also securing the first half54 to the second half 56. In one example, the first half 54 can includean adhesive, such as glue or epoxy, which is provided between the ribreceptacles 70, such that the adhesive can secure the first half 54 tothe second half 56 when the structural ribs 78 of the second half 56 areinserted between the rib receptacles 70 of the first half 54.Additionally, it is contemplated that the adhesive can be applied to theedges of both halves 54, 56 of the blade 50 to prevent separation of thehalves 54, 56 during operation of the fan. Alternative attachmentmethods are contemplated, such as a compression or interference fitbetween the ribs 78 and the rib receptacles 70, while any suitableattachment means or method is contemplated. As is appreciable, ends ofthe structural ribs 78 may be tapered to facilitate a varying thicknessfor the blade 50 extending between the first edge 62 and the second edge64. Such tapering of the structural ribs 78 can provide for an airfoilprofile, for example, for the blade 50.

The stop receptacles 80 can be sized and arranged complementary to thestops 72, such that the stops 72 abut the stop receptacles 80 when thefirst half 54 is connected to the second half 56. In this way, the stops72 can maintain the proper spacing between the first and second halves54, 56, as well as the proper blade thickness. In one example, the stopreceptacles 80 can be formed as a raised annular ridge on the innersurface 76, which can receive the end of the stop 72 but resists orprevents movement of the stop 72 from the stop receptacle 80 when thefirst half 54 connects to the second half 56.

Additionally, the first half 54 includes a set of mount holes 82 and thesecond half 56 includes a set of complementary mount receptacles 84. Themount holes 82 can be configured to receive a fastener through the holes82 and extending into the mount receptacles 84. When coupling the blade50 to a ceiling fan motor, a blade iron, such as the blade iron 36 ofFIG. 1 , can be used to couple the blade 50 to the motor for rotatingthe blade via the mount holes 82 and the mount receptacles 84. The mountreceptacles 84 can be sized with a height similar to the thickness ofthe blade 50 in order to maintain uniform thickness for the blade 50, aswell as forming an aesthetically pleasing look and providing noaerodynamic disadvantage by being wholly contained within the interiorof the blade 50.

The blade 50 as described herein can be made of pulp, or at leastpartially made from pulp. Forming the blade 50 from pulp provides forreduced costs of manufacture, which can be passed onto the consumer.Additionally, the pulp can provide for blades having a reduced weight,which can reduce energy requirements to operate the fan, which canreduce operational costs as well as improve operational efficiency.Furthermore, the pulp can be made from a recyclable material or abiodegradable material, such that the environmental impact from the fanis decreased, or that the environmental impact of the blades themselvesis reduced or minimal. The features as described herein provide forforming the blade partially or fully from pulp. More specifically, thefeatures provide for a structurally sound blade, which is subjected tooperational stresses and bending moments. The rib receptacles 70, thestops 72, the structural ribs 78, and the stop receptacles 80, forexample, provide for maintaining the shape and structural integrity ofthe blade 50 during operation. Forming the blades from a pulp can resultin a blade 50 that is more susceptible to deformation or bending.Utilizing the stops and ribs as described herein provides for formingthe blade from the pulp material, while still maintaining the structuralintegrity necessary during operation.

Additionally, the blade 50, as well as any other blade described herein,can include an exterior coating 86. The exterior coating 86 can be awaterproof material, for example, preventing water damage to the pulpblades. Additionally, the exterior coating 86 can be of a material thata reduced coefficient of friction, at least as compared to that of thepulp material of the blade 50, such that aerodynamic efficiency isincreased as compared to that of the blade 50 without the exteriorcoating 86. Furthermore, the exterior coating 86 can also be used forcoloring or other design aesthetics for the blade 50. Further still, theexterior coating can be multiple exterior coatings, such as one towaterproof the pulp material, while another coating can be used to colorthe blade or to reduce aerodynamic drag. Thus, it should be understoodthat a myriad of coatings are contemplated for use with the blades asdescribed herein.

FIG. 3 depicts another blade 150 for a ceiling fan. The blade 150 can besubstantially similar to the blade 50 of FIG. 2 , except that the bladeof FIG. 3 includes a hinge 152 which couples a first half 154 to asecond half 156. In one example, the hinge 152 can be a living hinge,such that the first half 154 is integral with the second half 156, andthe first half 154 can be secured to the second half 156 by bending theblade 150 along the living hinge and attaching the halves 154, 156 toone another. Thus, it should be appreciated that the halves 154, 156 asdiscussed herein can be mounted to one another in a variety of ways,including a living hinge where the two halves 154, 156 are formedintegrally or unitarily and assembled by folding along the living hinge152.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , a blade skeleton 200 for a ceiling fan bladeextends between a root end 202 and a tip end 204, and between a firstedge 206 and a second edge 208. The skeleton 200 can be made of stampedmetal or molded plastic, in non-limiting examples, while any suitablematerial or manufacture method is contemplated. The skeleton 200includes a series of perforations 210 extending along the length of theblade skeleton 200. The perforations 210 are arranged in three rows 212,with each row 212 separated by a rib 214 that extends between the rootend 202 and the tip end 204. Additional mount holes 216 can be providedat the root end 202 for securing a blade iron to the skeleton 200, orsecuring the skeleton 200 to the motor for driving the fan blade. Itshould be understood that the arrangement with the ribs 214 and theperforations 210 are exemplary as shown, and can have any suitableconfiguration, as well as more or less elements including, but nolimited to, ribs, perforations, bumps, extensions, openings, holes,grooves, channels, valleys, or any other suitable structure or lackthereof.

FIG. 5 shows a section view of the blade skeleton 200 taken alongsection V-V of FIG. 4 , better depicting the shape of the ribs 214. Theribs 214 can include two rounded portions of the skeleton 200, whichhave a substantially rounded convex shape extending away from theremainder of the skeleton 200.

FIG. 6 includes the blade skeleton 200 having an over molding 220forming a ceiling fan blade 222. The over molding 220 can be made from apulp, as discussed herein, while it is also contemplated that the overmolding 220 be another material, such as a foam or high-density foam inone non-limiting example. The over molding 220 can be shaped in anytop-down shape, such as that shown, or of any traditional ceiling fanblade. Additionally, looking briefly at FIG. 7 showing a section view ofFIG. 6 , the over molding 220 can be shaped in any suitable geometry or3D (three-dimensional) manner, such as including a performance edgeprofile with curved or otherwise shaped edges, or other profiles such asan airfoil profile. The profile as shown in FIG. 7 provides for improveblade performance due to the rounded edge profile, while maintaining thetraditional bottom-view ceiling fan blade aesthetic with a flat bottom.

The blade 222 provides for a structurally strong blade with the skeleton200, as well as a blade that is easy and inexpensive to produce. Forexample, the skeleton 200 can be easily stamped or molded. Then the overmolding 220 can be molded onto the skeleton 200 to form the final blade222. The perforations 210 in the skeleton 200, along with the ribs 214,provide for improved adhesion of the over molding 220 to the skeleton200. Additionally, the ribs 214 provide for improved attachment of theover molding 220 to the skeleton 200 over time, as the ribs 214 help tocarry and drive the over molding 220 during operation of the ceilingfan.

Referring to FIG. 8 , an exploded view of another exemplary blade 300includes a blade base 302 and a topper 304. The blade base 302 can be astandard ceiling fan blade, for example, such as those traditionallymanufactured with a flat top and/or flat bottom. Alternatively, theblade base 302 can be any suitable blade structure for carrying thetopper 304 or upon which a topper 304 can be mounted or coupled. Thetopper 304 can be made from a pulp, as described herein, whileadditional materials are contemplated such as a foam or high-densityfoam. Any suitable material can be used, while preferably beinglightweight while having a high tensile strength to improve overalloperational efficiency. The topper 304 can be coupled to a top surface306 of the blade base 302. The topper 304 can include or be shaped toform, upon attachment to the blade base 302, an aerodynamic profile forthe blade, such as having an airfoil profile or a rounded leading edgeor trailing edge to improve efficiency of the blade, at least incomparison to a blade as the blade base alone 302. Additionally, it iscontemplated that the topper 304 can include a blade skeleton, such asthat shown in described in relation to FIG. 4 , or a wire frame such asthat shown and described in relation to FIG. 11 below.

FIG. 9 illustrates a completed version of the blade 300 of FIG. 8 ,having the topper 304 secured to the blade base 302 to form the completeblade 300. While the blade is shown as having adiverging-then-converging shape in the chord-wise direction extendingfrom root to tip, it should be appreciated that any blade shape iscontemplated and may or may not include the blade iron mount extendingfrom the root of the blade base 302. Additionally, it is contemplatedthat the topper 304 can also cover the iron portion of the blade base302. While the topper 304 is described herein as a ‘topper’, it shouldbe understood that it need not be a topper in a traditional sense aslimited to attachment to a top of a blade base 302. It should beappreciated that a topper 304 can be any suitable pulp element attachedto any portion of the blade base 302 to adapt the blade 300 to have anaerodynamic profile. An aerodynamic profile can be any suitable shapethat improves aerodynamic performance of the blade 300 upon addition ofthe topper 304. Thus, a ‘topper’ as described herein could be added tothe bottom of the blade to improve aerodynamic efficiency, in onenon-limiting example.

Referring to FIG. 10 , a first system for mounting and securing a topper404 to a blade base 402 to form a ceiling fan blade 400 can includeforming a grommet portion 410 that is integral with the topper 404 andsized to accept a fastener 406, such as a screw. While shown that thefastener 406 extends beyond the blade 400 at the bottom, it should beunderstood that the fastener 406 can be used to mount the blade 400 tothe remainder of the ceiling fan, such as via a blade iron, to impartrotational movement to the blade 400. The grommet portion 410 extendsfrom the remainder of the topper 404 and can be shaped to insert into ahole formed in the blade base 402, such as the mount holes 82 of FIG. 2, for example. The integral grommet design reduces overall parts,removing the need for an additional grommet. Additionally, utilizing thetopper 404 with the grommet portion 410 mitigates any vibrationgenerated by the blade 400 between the blade base 402 and the topper404. In this way, vibration or blade balance issues which can negativelyimpact performance are reduced, minimized, or otherwise mitigated.

Additionally, the blade base 402 can be shaped as being wider, longer,or both, relative to the topper 404, defining an edge or boundary 412,fully or partially defined around the blade 400. Similarly, the topper404 can be formed thinner and shorter than the base blade 402, which canprovide for attaching the topper 404 onto an existing blade as the bladebase 402, without extending over the edges of the blade base 402. Theboundary 412 can provide for room for attaching the topper 404 to theblade base 402. Utilizing the boundary 412 can provide for seeing theaerodynamic benefits of the topper, while reducing the occasion that thetopper 404 extends beyond the blade base 402, thereby reducing theinstance of detachment of the topper or aerodynamic inefficiencies afterinstallation. Additionally, the boundary 412 provides for preventing thetopper 404 from creating a sharp zone on the blade edge.

Referring to FIG. 11 , another exemplary blade 500 includes an interiorwire frame 502 coupled to a plate 504 (the wire frame 502 and the plate504 shown in broken line). In one example, the plate 504 can be weldedto the wire frame 502, while any suitable method of attachment iscontemplated. In one additional example, the wire frame 502 and theplate 504 can be integral or formed as a unitary structure, such as withcasting.

The exterior of the blade 500 can include a pulp overlay 506, utilizingthe wire frame 502 and the plate 504 as a skeleton supporting the pulpoverlay 506. Alternatively, the pulp overlay 506 could be a foam orother material, covering, overlaying, or otherwise attached to andencasing the skeleton or wire frame 502. A set of mount holes 508 can beprovided in the plate 504, providing for the attachment of a blade iron(not shown) to the blade 500 at the plate 504. The plate 504 provides adurable attachment point for mounting of a blade iron, such as the bladeiron 36 of FIG. 1 , for example. The wire frame 502 extends along theouter periphery of the blade 500 where the blade 500 experiences higherforces during rotational movement of the blades and ceiling fanoperation.

Forming the pulp overlay 506 onto the skeleton of the wire frame 502 andthe plate 504 provides or a structurally supported blade 500, that islight weight and can be formed to have aerodynamic features, such as anairfoil profile in one non-limiting example. The light blades with theaerodynamic features can provide for improved efficiency as well asreduced operational costs. Additionally, a pulp overlay provides for ablade 500 that is largely recyclable or has a reduced or minimalenvironmental impact, or at least compared to ceiling fan blades formedwithout a pulp overlay.

Referring to FIG. 12 , another blade 600 includes a blade mountstructure 602, such as a skeleton as described herein. The blade mountstructure 602 can be a solid interior structure capable of supportingthe blade 600 during rotating operation. In non-limiting examples, theblade mount structure 602 can be made of stamped metal or formedplastic. Additionally, the blade mount structure 602 can include a mountextension 604 including a set of mount holes 606 for attaching the blade600 to a blade iron or rotor (not shown).

A core 608 is provided around the blade mount structure 602. The core608 can be formed to have a three-dimensional blade shape, such ashaving an airfoil profile adapted to improve blade efficiency andairflow, as compared to a flat blade. In one example, the core 608 canbe made of foam or other similar lightweight material, such as an opencell or closed cell foam.

A pulp overlay 610 can be formed around and covering the core 608. Thepulp overlay 610 can provide for forming the blade shape based upon thecore 608, and then covering the core 608 with the pulp to provide for astructurally stable blade. Additionally, it is contemplated that thepulp overlay 610 be coated with a blade coating 612 or coloring todecorate the blade, or improve structural integrity or aerodynamicefficiency with a lowfriction surface, for example. The blade coating612 can also be multiple coatings, such as a waterproofing coating, acolor coating, or another coating to reduce aerodynamic drag innon-limiting examples. Thus, it should be understood that a myriad ofcoatings are contemplated for use with the blades as described herein.

The blades as discussed herein provide for decreased cost ofmanufacture, which results in a reduced cost to the consumer.Additionally, the blades can provide for increased aerodynamicefficiency, which provides for improved operational efficiency andreduced operational costs. Furthermore, the pulp used in forming theblades can be made from a biodegradable material, which can provide fora reduced environmental impact for the blades, as well as improveddesirability for a consumer market that values environmental impacts andsustainability.

Referring to FIG. 13 , a method 700 of forming a blade can include, at702, forming at least a portion of the blade utilizing a pulp. At 704,the method can further include where forming includes forming two halvesof the blade from the pulp. One or both halves can be formed from thepulp. The method can further include attaching the two halves to oneanother. The two halves can be attached, for example, by the ribs 78 andthe rib receptacles 70 of FIG. 2 . Additionally, it is contemplated thatthe halves are connected by an integral hinge, such as a living hinge,which can also be made of the pulp material. Additionally, it iscontemplated that the method 700 can include discretely forming eachhalf of the blade from the pulp, such as taking a pulp material, such asa fibrous pulp, and mixing the pulp with a binding agent. After mixingthe two, the pulp material with the binding agent can be compressed,such as within a mold to form the blades or portions thereof asdescribed herein. In one example, the blade may be heated to cure thebinding agent. It is also contemplated that the formation of the moldedblade can be cured by pressure curing, or may be dried aftermanufacture.

At 706, the method 700 can further include where forming includesforming the pulp as a pulp overlay provided over a wire frame, such asthe pulp overlay 506 over the wire frame 502 of FIG. 11 . Additionally,a plate can be affixed to the wire frame to provide for additionalstability for the blade, as well as providing a portion for mounting ablade iron to the blade, or mounting the blade to a rotor.

At 708, the method 700 can further include wherein forming the bladefurther includes forming an over molding with a pulp provided on askeleton to form the blade. The over molding, for example, can be theover molding 220 provided over the skeleton 200 of FIGS. 4-7 , forexample. Alternatively, the skeleton may be the wire frame 502 of FIG.11 with the over molding formed as the pulp overlay 506.

At 710, the method can further include where forming includes forming acore over a blade mount structure, and forming a pulp overlay over theblade mount structure. For example, the blade mount structure can be theblade mount structure 602 of FIG. 12 . The core can be the core 608 ofFIG. 12 , and can be made of foam or another sturdy but lightweightmaterial. Additionally, the pulp overlay 610 of FIG. 12 can be made fromthe pulp and covering the core 608. Furthermore, it is contemplated thata coating can be provided over the pulp overlay for sealing the blade,or for coloring or otherwise decorating the fan.

At 712, the method 700 can further include attaching a topper formed aspulp to a blade base to form the blade. For example, the base blade canbe any blade, such as an existing blade having a flat top or flat bottomsurface, or both. The topper can be the topper 404 of FIGS. 8-10 , forexample, and the blade base can be the blade base 402. Additionally, themethod 700 can include where the topper forms an aerodynamic shape forthe blade that is more efficient than that of the blade base alone. Themethod 700 can further include where the topper includes a grommetportion, which can be inserted into a mount hole in the base blade,which helps to dampen vibrations between the blade base and the topper.

The method as described herein should be considered as non-limiting inthe order or arrangement as described. It should be understood that theaspects of the method can be mixed, reorganized, reordered, or thatportions of one part of the method can be combined with other portionsof the method.

Further aspects of the invention are provided by the subject matter ofthe following clauses:

A ceiling fan comprising: a motor including a rotor; a blade coupled tothe rotor and rotatably driven by the motor, the blade comprising; afirst portion defining a first interior surface for the blade; and asecond portion secured to the first portion to form a complete body forthe blade, with the second portion defining a second interior surfacefor the blade; wherein the blade is at least partially formed of a pulp.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein both the first portionand the second portion are formed completely from pulp.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the first portionincludes a set of ribs extending from the first interior surface.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the second portionincludes a set of rib receptacles configured to receive the set of ribsto secure the first portion to the second portion.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the first portionfurther includes a set of stops.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the second portionfurther includes a set of stop receptacles configured to receive the setof stops to define a thickness for the blade via the set of stops.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the first portion andthe second portion are connected by a hinge.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the hinge is a livinghinge formed from pulp.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the first portionincludes a set of mount holes.

The ceiling fan of any preceding clause wherein the second portionincludes a set of mount receptacles arranged complementary to the set ofmount holes when the first portion is joined to the second portion.

A blade for a ceiling fan, the blade comprising: a skeleton; an overmolding formed around the skeleton; wherein the over molding is formedfrom a pulp.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the skeleton includes a set ofperforations facilitating adhesion of the over molding to the skeleton.

The blade of any preceding clause further comprising a set of ribsextending along the skeleton.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the ribs extend along theskeleton from a first end to a second end.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the over molding surrounds theentirety of the skeleton except for a portion of a root of the skeleton,wherein the portion of the root of the skeleton includes a set of mountholes.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the skeleton includes a wireframe extending around at least a portion of the periphery of the blade.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the skeleton further includesa plate attached to the wire frame.

The blade of any preceding clause further comprising a foam coreprovided on the skeleton, with the over molding provided on the foamcore.

A blade for a ceiling fan comprising: a blade base having an uppersurface and a lower surface, and extending span-wise between a root anda tip, and extending chord-wise between a first edge and a second edge;a topper attached to the blade base to form the blade, with the topperat least partially formed from a pulp.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the topper further includes agrommet portion.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the blade base furtherincludes a mount hole and the grommet portion inserts into the mounthole.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein the topper includes achord-wise width that is less than that of the blade base between thefirst edge and the second edge such that a peripheral edge is definedalong the upper surface of the blade base not covered by the topper.

A blade for a ceiling fan comprising: a blade mount structure; a coresurrounding and affixed to the blade mount structure; and a pulp overlayprovided on the core.

The blade of any preceding clause further comprising a coating providedon the pulp overlay.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein core is made of an open cellfoam.

The blade of any preceding clause wherein a portion of the blade mountstructure extends from the core and includes a set of mount holes.

A method of forming a blade for a ceiling fan, the method comprising:forming at least a portion of the blade by utilizing a pulp.

The method of any preceding clause wherein forming further comprisesforming two halves of the blade from the pulp.

The method of any preceding clause further comprising attaching the twohalves to form the blade.

The method of any preceding clause wherein the two halves are integral,attached by a common hinge.

The method of any preceding clause wherein forming further includesforming an over molding with the pulp on a skeleton to form the blade.

The method of any preceding clause wherein forming further includesattaching a topper formed from the pulp to a base blade.

The method of any preceding clause wherein attaching the topper forms anaerodynamic shape for the blade that is more efficient than that of thebase blade without the topper.

The method of any preceding clause further comprising dampeningvibrations with a grommet portion integral with the topper.

The method of any preceding clause wherein forming further comprisesforming the pulp as a pulp overlay provided on a wire frame.

The method of any preceding clause further comprising stabilizing thepulp overlay on the wire frame with a plate coupled to the wire frameinterior of the pulp overlay.

The method of any preceding clause wherein forming further comprisesforming a pulp overlay about a core, which is formed around a blademount structure.

To the extent not already described, the different features andstructures of the various aspects can be used in combination, or insubstitution with each other as desired.

That one feature is not illustrated in all of the examples is not meantto be construed that it cannot be so illustrated, but is done forbrevity of description. Thus, the various features of the differentaspects can be mixed and matched as desired to form new aspects, whetheror not the new aspects are expressly described. All combinations orpermutations of features described herein are covered by thisdisclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that it is contemplatedthat features of one embodiment may be applied to another embodiment,and interchanged, added, or removed to form additional embodiments notexplicitly shown, but still within the scope of the disclosure.

Although the embodiment of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in these embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the invention. Although specific terms areemployed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense onlyand not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ceiling fan assembly comprising: a motor; amount for coupling to a structure and for suspending the motor; aceiling fan blade comprising a blade body for coupling to the motor,wherein the ceiling fan blade is formed from a molded pulp and includesa skeleton, and the molded pulp is formed about at least a portion ofthe skeleton.
 2. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the moldedpulp comprises at least one of paper fibers, plant fibers, or woodfibers.
 3. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the ceiling fanblade is formed of a first portion and a second portion, with each ofthe first portion and second portion including an interior surface,collectively defining an interior for the ceiling fan blade and theskeleton is located within the interior.
 4. The ceiling fan assembly ofclaim 3 wherein the first portion comprises an upper half and the secondportion comprises a lower half.
 5. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 4wherein the upper half and lower half are connected by a hinge.
 6. Theceiling fan assembly of claim 3 wherein one of the first portion or thesecond portion further includes a set of stops.
 7. The ceiling fanassembly of claim 6 wherein the first portion or the second portion thatdoes not include the set of stops, includes a set of stop receptacles,with the set of stop receptacles adapted to receive the set of stops. 8.The ceiling fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the skeleton includes a setof perforations to facilitate adhesion of the molded pulp to theskeleton.
 9. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the skeletoncomprises a wire frame.
 10. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 9 whereinthe wire frame extends around a periphery of at least a portion of theblade.
 11. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 1 wherein the molded pulpis compressed.
 12. A ceiling fan assembly comprising: a motor; a mountfor coupling to a structure and for suspending the motor; a ceiling fanblade comprising a blade body for coupling to the motor, wherein theceiling fan blade is formed from a molded pulp, and includes a foamcore, and the molded pulp is formed about at least a portion of the foamcore.
 13. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 12 wherein the molded pulpcomprises at least one of paper fibers, plant fibers, or wood fibers.14. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 12 wherein the molded pulp iscompressed.
 15. A ceiling fan assembly comprising: a motor having arotor with a blade mount; a mount for coupling to a structure and forsuspending the motor; and a ceiling fan blade comprising a molded pulpblade body made of a molded pulp slurry.
 16. The ceiling fan assembly ofclaim 15 wherein the molded pulp slurry is compressed.
 17. The ceilingfan assembly of claim 16 wherein the ceiling fan blade further comprisesa ceiling fan blade base and a topper, which attaches to the ceiling fanblade base, with the topper at least partially formed from the moldedpulp slurry.
 18. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 17 wherein the topperfurther includes a grommet portion extending into a mount hole of theceiling fan blade base.
 19. The ceiling fan assembly of claim 17 whereinthe topper is smaller than the ceiling fan blade base defining aperipheral edge along at least a portion of the ceiling fan blade basethat is unoccupied by the topper.
 20. The ceiling fan assembly of claim15, wherein the molded pulp slurry is made from one of a recycledmaterial or biodegradable material.